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J. B. SAFPORD 8 F. W. PARSONS. DRAW BAR.

10.474,362. Patentealvray 17,1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. SAFFORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND FRANK W. PARSONS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRAW-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 474,862, dated May 17', 1892.

Application filed July 16, 1891.

To ir/ZZ whom t may concern: Be it known that we, JAMES B. SAFFoRD,

Iresiding at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois,

and FRANK W. PARSONS, of Boston, Suffolk county, Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draw-Bars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to construct a draw-bar adapted to be used with a link and pin, and provided with an upwardly-extending face engaging with a similar face upon the opposite draw-bar and acting as a buffer when the cars are coupled or at other times, thereby dispensing with the other buffers, which are frequently placed at the end of the car on either side of the draw-bar, almost entirely doing away with the risk of a mans being injured when between the cars in order to couple them, since where buffers are used that are separate from the draw-head a man coupling the cars is very apt to be caught between them and injured. Our improved drawbar is also provided with an upwardly-extending surface adapted to abut against the end timber, the buflingface and this bearingsurface being of substantially equal dimensions and tied or bound together by means of a suitable web in such manner that they are made practically one, so that the strain in bufng is communicated to and taken up by the end timber of the car without risk of breaking or inj uring the upwardlyfextending bufting-face. The draw-bar is also provided with means for engaging with the link on an opposite draw-bar, whereby when the cars are coupled on a curve the opposing draw-heads are prevented from sliding past each other; and our invention consists in the features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a draw-bar embodying our improvements; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof; Fig. 3, a longitudinal central section of a pair of drawbars coupled together, and Fig. 4. an end or face view of one of the draw-bars.

The draw-bar -A is constructed out of any suitable material, preferably malleable iron, and of any required dimensions. The height of that part of the face of the draw-head Serial No. 399,727. (No modal.)

which is below the opening into which the link enters, is reduced to the greatest extent consistent with the efficient Working of the device, while that part of the face which is above such opening is extended upward to a suitable height to form the bufiing-face B, adapted to take up the buffing strain or shock. The draw-bar is further provided with a face or bearing-surface C, extending upward from the body or shank of the draw-bar toaheight preferably equal to the height of the bufingface, and ina position adapted to bear against the end timber of the car. To connect or bind together the bufiingface and this bearingsurface, We provide the draw-head with a vertical web D of a suitable breadth, which extends, preferably, to nearly the same height with these faces; also, with one or more horizontal webs D at one or both sides of the vertical web to aid in bracing the bufiing-face.

These faces, Webs, and the other parts of the draw-bar are cast or formed in one piece or integral, the vertical web being preferably cast hollow, as shown, to obtain additional lightness. The hole E of the pin F passes through the entire height of this web, so that an additional bearing-surface is afforded for such pin. Vhen two cars are to be coupled together, the link is generally held in one of the draw-bars by means of the pin, and its outer end will hang downward unless supported at an angle of from thirty to forty-tive degrees. If, now7 the cars are to be coupled on a curve, the two draw-heads coming together at an angle instead of face to face, there will be a tendency for them to slide past each other and become jammed, rendering it extremely difficult to separate the cars. Moreover, when they slide past each other in this Way they invariably ruin the draw-bar timbers. To obviate this difculty We provide our coupler with a downwardly-extending lug or projection @preferably of the shape shown in the drawings. VThen the cars are allowed to come together on a curve or otherwise with the link hanging down, as described, this projection will enter the link and engaging therewith will prevent 'the draw-heads sliding past each other, thereby rendering it easy to separate the cars in order to raise the link and couple.

IOO

The advantages to be derived from a drawbar so constructed are as follows: The eX- tended bufling-'face being made integral with the draw-bar, it is thereby rendered unnecessary to use separate buffers, and the risk of injury or loss of life is thereby almost entirely obviated. Again, from the fact that this bufiing-face lies almost entirely above the coupling-opening when two cars are brought together the pressure on the draw-heads will tend to force them upward or raise them, which tendency is resisted by the whole body of the car, and in this way bearingorknocking down of the draw-heads is prevented, as

it could not be if the bufiing-face was partly below the coupling-opening, in which case the tendency would be to depress the heads fully as much or more than it would be to raise them, thereby knocking them down or even ott the car.

Another advantage is that by the manner of forming the bufing-face, the surface which bears against the end timber, and the web, which unites them all-of the bufting strain is received by such end timber, and any crushing-or breakingoffof the upwardly-extending binding them together, whereby the bufiing As will be seen from the dotted lines in Fig. 3, we practically embody a square or rectani gular buffer into our draw-bar, and obtain f bufting face or shoulder is prevented.

thereby the highest efciency,and, moreover,

are able to dispense with the cost ot the eX- Y tra buiers, thereby cheapening the construction of the car.

The advantages of the lug or extension G will be suiiiciently obvious from the description of the manner in which it operates.

We of course do not intend or desire to be limited to exact forms shown, but contemplate the substitution of equivalents, change in form, dimensions, and other similar points as circumstances may render necessary or advisable.

We claiml. A draw-head. provided with an upwardly-extending bufting-face, an upwardly-extending face adapted to bear against the end timber` of the car, of substantially the same dimensions with the buing-face, and a vertical web connecting the two and binding them together, whereby the bu Fling shock is communicated to such end timber and taken up thereby and any breaking of the bufting-face or l ug is prevented, substantially as described.

2. A draw-bar provided with a downwardlyextending lug adapted to en gage with the link of an opposing draw-head to prevent such heads from passing by each other when the cars are brought together, substantially as described. f

3. In ad raw-head., the combination of a bufiing-face extending upwardly from the opening-in the face of the draw-head, a face eX- tending upwardly in a position to engage or rest against the end car-timber, of dimensions substantially equal to those of the bufiingtace, and a web formed integral with these two faces, whereby they are bound together, such web being provided with an orifice to receive and afford a bearing-surface for the coupling-pin, substantially as described.

4. A draw-head provided with an upwardly-extending butling-face, an upwardly-extending face adapted to bear against the end timber of the car, of substantially the same dimensions with the bufIing-face, and one or more horizontal webs connecting the two and shock is communicated to such end timber and taken up thereby and any breaking of the bufiing-face is prevented,substantially as described.

5. A draw-headprovided with an upwardly-extending bufiing-face, an upwardly-extending face adapted to bear against the end timber of the car, of substantially the same dimensions with the butling-face, a vertical web, and one or more horizontal Webs connecting the two and binding them together, whereby the butting shock is communicated to such end timber and taken up thereby and any breakin g of the butting-face is prevented, substantially as described.

JAMES B. SAFFORD. FRANK YV. PARSONS. Vitness to the signature of James B. Safford:

GEORGE S. PAYsoN.

Vitnesses to the signature ot1 Frank WV. Parsons:

LEILA L. PARsoNs, ROGER F. STUReIs. 

